5 Outdoor Fire Safety Tips — Stay Safe While Camping & BBQing
With the start of barbecue and camping season just around the corner, families from all over the country are planning their next outdoor adventure, getting all their camping gear out of the attic, and stocking up on their favourite BBQ firewood to power their cookouts through the summer.
While barbecue enthusiasts might be spending this time browsing through pages and pages of BBQ wood fuels looking for the perfect fit, there is generally a lot less attention paid to outdoor fire safety, especially if camping and outdoor cooking are activities they’ve been doing for years.
So, as more barbecue products keep rolling out to make this camping season the best it can be, we think that a little refresher course on BBQ fire safety is long overdue!
Here are five of the best outdoor fire safety and BBQ fire safety tips for enjoying your next big cookout in full safety and with complete peace of mind.
1. Make sure the weather is right
Picking the perfect weather for starting an outdoor fire or BBQ is the essential first step to guarantee your cookout doesn’t become a fire hazard.
So, what’s the ideal weather for a safe barbecue? You should absolutely avoid starting an outdoor fire on windy days since flames and stray embers can easily travel to flammable surroundings.
You should also avoid starting a fire when the weather has been exceptionally dry or hot, as these situations are considered peak fire hazard conditions.
2. Pick the right surface
Another essential step to guarantee outdoor fire safety is to pick the right surface, no matter if you’re using a BBQ grill or building an outdoor fire pit.
This means making sure the surface is leveled so that your barbecue won’t tip over and your fire pit will remain safely contained.
You should also make sure to avoid building a fire anywhere near tree roots or even over hidden tree roots, as wildfires can often start underground long after the source fire has long been extinguished.
3. Have extinguishing materials at the ready
Even if you’ve taken all the necessary precautions for a safe outdoor fire, you should always make sure to have extinguishing materials ready to use right beside your fire.
Whether it’s a bucket of sand, a bucket of fresh water, or even a simple garden hose, it’s always best to have something to extinguish the fire with at hand in case of emergency.
4. Avoid fire accelerants
If you’ve chosen the right, high-quality wood fuels to start your BBQ fire, you won’t need any chemical accelerants like kerosene, lighter fluid, or gasoline to keep the fire going and burning strong.
Make sure to only use chemical-free kiln-dried wood kindling and natural firelighters to start your fire and keep it burning for as long as you need it to, and that you’re using premium extra-dry firewood and restaurant-grade hardwood charcoal to get the best, safest fire you can get!
5. Fully extinguish your fire, every time
Finally, make sure to extinguish your fire fully, even if you think it’s already out.
The best way to do this is to ensure all your burning materials are fully soaked in water, as ashes that could be believed to be out can suddenly spring back to life if they’re not fully cold and wet to the touch.
Remember to also let your barbecue grill cool down for at least an hour before packing everything back up!
Get all the best BBQ products in one place
If you’re looking for the best place to get all the BBQ products and extra-dry firewood you need to ensure outdoor fire safety and camping fire safety start by choosing the best quality wood, you should look no further than Lekto’s growing collection!
From aromatic wood chips for smoking your barbecue meats to convenient, camping-ready Swedish torch logs, we have everything you need to stock up on the safest wood fuels on the market with the click of a button — outdoor fire safety starts with the perfect BBQ wood fuels!